Dozer-blade mounting



Feb. 14, 1956 L. T. GRAVES DOZER-BLADE MOUNTING 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledDec. 27, 1950 w m m m L. T Graves Feb. 14, 1956 T. GRAVES 2,734,292

DOZER-BLADE MOUNTING Filed Dec. 27, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2

Feb; 14, 1956 GRAVES 2,734,292

DOZER-BLADE MOUNTING Fi d Dec. 27, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 l9 o (02! Ql 2u N N I INVENTOR. L Graves Feb. 14, 1956 L. T. GRAVES 2,734,292

DOZER-BLADE MOUNTING Filed Dec. 27, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ll lh i i I\INVENTOR. E L. Graves L. T. GRAVES DOZEIR-BLADE MOUNTING Feb. 14. 1956Filed Dec.

United States Pate-nt Q "ice 43.43% DOZER-BLADEQ-MQ 5 l yd, hur an ra esNhrthl Ya mh qn. ri sh 1 lnrnbia'; Canada, a si iiorerone-nelr tovyiuiam mayf lit t tl veh .hiT FlfiI fiil i h pp c tioa December sstlgii 2 9? 1. 1am. 9 5 451 This invention relate s to a doz er-blademounting, and or si jehlenemasme e ?.at e hh me ihg which enables 'th'bl'adc" tobe'" easilyj 'andi qliickly located in selected settingswithin a wide range er adjust rririficbrhbfe'h'e'nding' (1) angling ofthe blade about a vertical'l'agiisin either direction ffofi'anor'malcentered position, 2)"tilting' of the bladeab'o'iit a'hdriidntal axis"in eithe i direction 'from"a"ndrrnalcehtered position, (3)bodil'y"vertica1"movenient;' and '(4) eoiri' oundsef these describedmotions;

It is'a further and particular object to provide, in conjunction with a'dozer blade of'this' nature, power-driven devices 'for' nioving'theblade into: said adjusted positions and controlled from a position.conveniently accessible toan operator drivingfa tractoporother likevehicleto which the dozer blade "is attached.

It is as'till'further object to provide, a structure in which the dozerbladetakesits supportfrorn asvving-frame piv; otally attached to thetractor; andhaving meansin association with suchswingframe capahle ofso'resisting torsional forces passed from theblade into the frarneas topositively safeguard the frame against liability of tvvist',

The foregoing and other stillrnore particular objects and advantages invievv A will appeafindbe undei'stoodgin the fqllovving description andclain s, the riventioifi con sisting inithe novelc anwflm" if d a h ehhq 'n -i' blade "constructed in acordanceyvith the p ings of thepresent invention.

s i x e, Tertieal e t n on line 5.5 of; 55 Figs; I H

i th h htshtev hh hhq he v ish ?9 on large d 031 line 8 8 of 2,734,292 Pe tented Feb. 14, 1956 o. or ray; f h type. s l ved iPeta i he shit lhst t df h s's hs'd ve hs pr i t fqh' fer, L tters, atentv i h liUh eslzthtefil d ay 9, 9; 51 159,311, Cursorily considered," said tractorprovides a rriain frame including spaced-apart longitudinal sidepjr in-i pa si mm; n h t h te eyij flasks 18 arr ed by r wlhrz rh lhee 9 hhhre hdv he s tly i Il d or os ll to hht sh vqt serihe fhl; prdvided'ateach side of 'the main framfe,th;ese pivot he rin s hih f h thdm rehr' e l tr f h he ll eh hi tth fi awls ramh h s. hr sh hrha te vntqi r ss, mpa ative i h h hh hlhwi t IQRF- i sihe 2 d le 9 1 9 tth e i hih htlhP e t; rehhhn htd t e i y. he h plis fih hhtt he. t q' hle em hhfi n; ih wi hh 1 s i d ha e eam i hh de he h l t tr k t s h tr hlsh. at esirble, w' m l a rt e ss win hmh hh tsi h inside f. h rhwl rm r i 'heClearance is perforce vital to such a location. The swing framewhich I,prefer to employ is o e employing jajlo'n hhd h he hih h twhrd y hf hehhh a hl. hsithhihh im ti eh h 'i t he s q hem thheher; 5 having ts Tnds. pivothlly iqh he ed i i p h rhlqqk 5; anfdfifi bolted to theunderside of the main frame principals Lfih llh e tive S?- he free hdtthe w ale ends hes en t e. r n nd mi h lthe a ks. helrh reelfize ly i eh re h- Ehhh ti s hr hemeseh e t hsset flht hihh h hf h lh n l s! herse' ehs atT- h e nrlhhhhhfis ih with h rhs hlehir DEKQTPRQF? t lh T l nI9 he .'9 l. l l hm: Phs d; by efsrhhhe of P a h-sm e he fi i t h xtcn..re rw ly n e bh th'dinh m d a heqfthel WiI EZ ZI a di m is t y hd t'mmhe o eh: t. 29th. n s. ith. ts, nt d fit e x h'a 91s. Wh h: pie e hhthhe hm h h s. Qf theme hdha ly the plate 3 1-, cylinder member 32,,and'thegussets 3 0, a r e integrally COHHCCt EdLbY Weld; joints, andalso-made an; nte fhlipiart ft is ree s a en ra y pl sedrrhisctihh. 3ft;'risingfromtheplate 31 and suitably reinforced at the p t vh e cal h' AtitS PPF n this proiectiqa presents aforwardly projecting transverselysloped flange 'ndi hr t h' n e ich w l hh h einafte sh h i h flange hasa h nqhh ih b 6 wel e v hhtetqt he on of e. w n ram s h h idh thwh heross flt hda ht h re zv with. heq mr Patie t of, he tree, 'wh d hs o d th 'whh s i i i tsvhe on u is hm s h pipeh s. ,0 end-4. extendingdiagonally inwardly from the-cross-baridto the o emhmhe 1 h a WQ 1 t t hi fi ehdih fr mv said, ss-b t h li d ca e 2 ant yin parallel to one?another at opposite sides- 01115116: latter: A hyd aulic nde 4 "w be e nhese 'hi lw q haveits axis coincide with that of the cylindricalleg,and; received in this hydraulic cylinder is 'a doube-acting rant coupledby a connecting rod to a pipe 4M6, fi tterl for 'ccting l demhrh ahht nhe. 2 o i dii P.PiR,P., l byits front endtorwardlyvyell beyond the leg,

At t e front end of, the tractor thereis erected, from 39 11 t t qj remhP n p 's 6 3 1 4 17 h' iie i superstructure, as 4 7 and 48, andoccupying an overhead position vvithitsends journaled in post; elementsprovided: by these superstructures there is provideda tr nsverserock-shaft 5Q; Ivvin lever arms 51 and'52 are well d the rock-shaft atopposite sides of the mngmmmn diam line of the tractor to ha vctheirfirecn'dS' ext; forwardly intooverhangirig relation to thetree, andfetending downwardly fr'oiridhesefre ends tohnderl ears and"54,' Which areWelded to metres "cross ber'3 1 there aieprovided co f" V respectively,One end. of th rock-shaft protrudeslalt arm 57 attached by a connectingrod 58 to a doubleacting hydraulic ram, the ram working in apivotallymounted cylinder 59. The two lever arms 51 and 52 each serve inconjunction with the power arm 57 to produce a substantial bell-crank,and it will be apparent that the use of two such bell-cranks, incomplement with the two tierods, effectively stiffens the swing-frameagainst liability of torsional twist.

The dozer blade is provided with rigid horizontal backing ribs 60 and 61disposed in parallel spaced relation and each comprising a piece ofplate stock welded by an edge to the blade. On the substantial minoraxis of the blade and equidistantly spaced therefrom toward each sideedge of the blade the two ribs are vertically pierced with sets ofregistering holes operating to receive headed kingpins, as 62, 63 and64. The center king-pin 62 is arranged to establish a pivot connectionfrom the dozer blade to the projecting end of the pipe 46, and for thispurpose there is welded as a cross-arm upon the head of the pipe athrough bored knuckle 65 of a length to fit more or less snugly betweenthe ribs 60 and 61. The king-pins 63 and 64 each act to pivotally engagethe arms of a respective clevis 66 (see Fig. 6). These clevises projectrearwardly beyond the exposed edges of the backing ribs and bear bytheir back faces against pads 67 which are pivotally attached byking-pins 68 to the cross-member 31 of the tree, the kingpins beingreceived through bearing blocks 70 welded as integral adjuncts of saidcross-member. From the pad 67 yoke-arms 71 extend forwardly alongopposite sides of the related clevis 66, and traversing these yoke-arms71 to confine the cross-arm 69 of the clevis is a horizontalshackle-bolt 72 screwed or otherwise held in place and removable at willto free the clevis from the restraining yoke-arms 71. As will perhaps bebest seen from an inspection of Fig. 4 the span from the upper to thelower leg of the clevis 66 is comparatively wide so as to leave theshackle-bolt 72 relatively unfettered insofar as vertical play isconcerned and thus permit the dozer blade to be pivoted about the centerof the pipe 46 as an axis into positions tilted with respect to theswing-frame. Also signifi cant in respect of such tilting action is thefact that the vertical cross-arm 69 of the clevis is given a greaterwidth than the width of the two horizontal legs whereby to maintain anassured clearance between the legs and the yoke arms 71 and preclude theformer from hanging up as the clevis moves vertically relative to thepad.

For accomplishing the tilting motion of the blade a surmounting boss 73is welded or otherwise integrally secured to the backing rib 60 tooccupy a position adjacent a sideedge limit of the blade, and journaledfor swivel movement in this boss 73 is a knuckle 74. A complementingknuckle 75 is similarly swivel-mounted in the boss 36 which surmountsthe forwardly projecting flange 35 of the projection 34. Attached by apivot pin 76 to one of these knuckles, say the knuckle 74, is theconnecting rod 77 of a double-acting ram, and a hydraulic cylinder 78 inwhich this ram works is connected by a pivot pin 80 to the other knuckle75.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that there are threedouble-acting hydraulic rams each functional upon the dozer blade. Oneof these rams, and namely the ram working in the cylinder 78, performsthe described tilting action. A second said ram, and namely the ramworking in the cylinder 59, acts through the twin bellcranks to raiseand lower the swing-frame which, perforce, raises and lowers the bladebodily. The third ram, and namely the ram working in the cylinder 44,acts through the pipe 46 to move the main knuckle connection 65 of thedozer blade directively toward and from the swingframe. Forward motiongiven to this knuckle-joint is per formed only when one or the other ofthe two shacklebolts 72 have been first removed, whereupon the blade,having its other end still shackled to the swing-frame, will swing aboutthis shackle connection as a fulcrum and locate itself diagonal to thelongitudinal median line of the tractor. While it is eminently desirableto employ hy- 4 a draulic energy in angling the dozer blade about eitherof said end shackles as a fulcrum, the hydraulic ram which performs thisoperation can be dispensed with, in which case the work of moving theblade about its end shackle as a fulcrum is performed by lowering theblade onto the ground and inching the tractor either forwardly orbackwardly as the desired blade movement dictates. In the absence of thehydraulic lock which the ram provides, the blade is or may be suitablyfixed at selected variable degrees of angularity by having the pipepierced with a series of longitudinally spaced holes, and in thecylindrical leg 32 which forms a journal for such pipe providingdiametrically opposite circumferentially extending slots with which theholes may be selectively brought into register, then dropping ananchoring pin through the registering openings. The purpose of theslots, as distinguished from a round hole, is to enable the pipe and itsanchoring pin to swivel in compensation of tilting movements given tothe dozer blade.

The two ports through which fluid under pressure is fed to the ends ofthe respective hydraulic cylinders are connected by flexible hoses, as81-82, 83--84, and 85-86, with the valved chests of a control box 87,and this control box may be advantageously mounted upon a bracket 88secured to one of the two superstructures to occupy a position at theside of the tractor opposite the hydraulic cylinder 59. The hydraulicfluid may be either air or oil, the latter by preference, and such fluidis supplied under pressure to the valve chests from a pump or the like(not shown) driven by the engine of the tractor. The circuit and thearrangement of the control valves being such, upon a centering of thevalves, as to enable the related rams to be held in selected positionsby producing a hydraulic lock. Control handles 89, 90 and 91conveniently accessible to the operator of the tractor are operativelyconnected with the valves 92, 93 and 94, respectively, of the threechests.

It is thought that the invention and the manner of its operation willhave been clearly understood from the foregoing detailed description ofthe now preferred embodiment of my invention. Minor changes in thedetails of construction will largely suggest themselves and it is myintention that no limitations be implied and that the hereto annexedclaims be given a scope fully commensurate with the broadestinterpretation to which the employed language admits.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a tractor, and a dozer blade therefor, alongitudinally disposed cylinder member firmly supported by the tractorto occupy a laterally centered position at the front end thereof, a studjournaled for endwise sliding movement in the bore of the cylinder andprovided upon its front end with an exposed knuckle, a king-pinconnecting said knuckle with the blade, a pair of individuallyreleasable connecting couples between the blade and means carried by thetractor oppositely laterally removed from the knuckle and functioning asselective fulcrums about which the blade swings as the knuckle isadvanced or retracted longitudinally of the tractor by endwise movementgiven to the stud, and means for setting said stud at selected pointswithin the limits of its slide movement, each of said connecting couplesincluding a clevis, a connecting member providing a pad at one endhaving a pair of yoke arms extending from its inner end and located atopposite sides of the clevis, a removable shackle bolt extending throughsaid yoke arms and between the legs of the clevis, and king pinsconnecting the free ends of the legs of the clevis and the outer end ofthe connecting member to the dozer blade and the means carried by thetractor, respectively.

2. A mounting for a dozer blade comprising, in combination with asupporting frame, an open-front cylinder member rigidly secured to theframe to locate its axis on the longitudinal median line of the frame, astud receiving a slide and rotary journal in said cylinder member andprojecting forwardly therefrom, said stud being provided at the frontend with a rigid vertically bored head, means fixed to the back of theblade and acting in complement with the head of the stud and anassociated king-pin to establish a knuckle joint between the blade andthe stud, hitch connections between the blade and the frame laterallyspaced from opposite sides of the knuckle joint, and means adjustable asto length and extending as a tie from a frame-carried projectionoverlying the knuckle joint to a blade-carried fitting laterally offsetfrom the knuckle joint, means being provided for setting the stud atselected adjusted positions within prescribed limits of its permitedslide movement within the cylinder member.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which the distance between the legs ofthe clevis appreciably exceeds the diameter of the shackle bolt.

4. The structure of claim 1 in which the width of the legs of the clevisis less than the width of the cross-arm portion of the clevis.

5. In combination with a tractor, and a dozer blade therefor, a rigidswing-frame received between the traction processes of the tractor withits inner end supported by the tractor for vertical swinging movement ofthe free outer end about said inner end as an axis and with said freeend projecting forwardly beyond the front end of the tractor, a cylinderrigidly supported by said swingframe to locate its axis on thelongitudinal median line of the tractor, a piston received for endwisesliding movement in the cylinder, a piston rod connected with the pistonand extending forwardly therefrom beyond the front-end limit of theswing-frame and upon its front end carrying an exposed knuckle which ismounted for swivel movement about an axis which is fixed with respect tothe swing frame in the approximate longitudinal median plane of thetractor, a king-pin connecting said knuckle with the blade, manuallycontrolled powerdriven means receiving support from the tractor andoperatively interconnected with said free end for raising and loweringthe swing-frame, a pair of individually releasable connecting couplesbetween the blade and the swing-frame laterally removed to oppositesides from the knuckle and functioning as a selective fulcrum aboutwhich the blade swings as the knuckle is advanced or retractedlongitudinally of the tractor by endwise movement given to the piston,means for tilting the blade in a vertical direction about the swivelaxis of the knuckle and characterized in that one part of said means isconnected to the blade and another part thereof is mounted forco-incident vertical movement with the swingframe, and means for settingsaid piston at selected points within the limits of its slide movement.

6. In combination with a tractor, and a dozer blade therefor, a rigidswing-frame received between the traction processes of the tractor withits inner end supported by the tractor for vertical swinging movement ofthe free outer end about said inner end as an axis and with said freeend projecting forwardly beyond the front end of the tractor, a cylinderrigidly supported by said swingframe to locate its axis on thelongitudinal median line of the tractor, a piston received for endwisesliding movement in the cylinder, a piston rod connected with the pistonand extending forwardly therefrom beyond the front-end limit of theswing-frame and upon its front end carrying an exposed knuckle which ismounted for swivel movement about an axis which is fixed with respect tothe swing frame in the approximate longitudinal median plane of thetractor, a king-ping connecting said knuckle with the blade, manuallycontrolled power-driven means receiving support from the tractor andoperatively interconnected with said free end for raising and loweringthe swing-frame, a. pair of individually releasable connecting couplesbetween the blade and the swing-frame laterally removed to oppositesides from the knuckle and functioning as a selective fulcrum aboutwhich the blade swings as the knuckle is advanced or retractedlongitudinally of the tractor by endwise movement given to the piston,and means for tilting the blade in a vertical direction about the swivelaxis of the knuckle and characterized in that one part of said means isconnected to the blade and another part thereof is mounted forco-incident vertical movement with the swing-frame.

7. In combination with a tractor, and a dozer blade therefor, a rigidswing-frame received between the traction processes of the tractor withits inner end supported by the tractor for vertical swinging movement ofthe free outer end about said inner end as an axis and with said freeend projecting forwardly beyond the front end of the tractor, a knucklearranged to lie to the front of the swing-frame and journal-mounted fromthe latter for fore-and-aft-movement on the longitudinal median line ofthe tractor and also for swivel movement about said median line as anaxis, means for moving said knuckle to selected adjusted positionswithin the limits of its permitted fore-and-aft movement, a king-pinconnecting said knuckle with the blade, manually-controlled power-drivenmeans receiving support from the tractor and operatively interconnectedwith said free end of the swing-frame for raising and lowering thelatter, a pair of individually releasable connecting couples between theblade and the swing-frame laterally removed to opposite sides from theknuckle and functioning as a selective fulcrum about which the bladeswings as the knuckle is advanced or retracted longitudinally of thetractor, and means for tilting the blade in a vertical direction aboutthe swivel axis of the knuckle and characterized in that one part ofsaid means is connected to the blade and another part thereof is mountedfor co-incident vertical movement with the swing-frame.

8. In combination. with a tractor, and a dozer blade therefor, a rigidswing-frame having its inner end pivotally supported by the tractor forvertical swing movement of the free outer end about said inner end as anaxis and with said free end projecting forwardly beyond the front end ofthe tractor, a knuckle arranged to lie to the front of the swing-frameand journal-mounted from the latter for fore-and-aft movement in thelongitudinal median plane of the tractor and also for swivel movementabout an axis which is fixed with respect to the swing-frame in saidmedian plane, means for moving said knuckle to selected adjustedpositions within the limits of its permitted fore-and-aft movement, aking-pin connecting said knuckle with the blade, manually-controlledpower-driven means receiving support from the tractor and operativelyinterconnected with said free end of the swing-frame for raising andlowering the latter, a pair of individually releasable connectioncouples between the blade and the swing-frame laterally removed toopposite sides from the knuckle and functioning as a selective fulcrumabout which the blade swings as the knuckle is advanced or retractedlongitudinally of the tractor, and means for tilting the blade in avertical direction about the swivel axis of the knuckle andcharacterized in that one part of said means is connected to the bladeand another part thereof is mounted for co-incident vertical movementwith the swing-frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,713,030 Cummings May 14, 1929 1,976,597 Bird Oct. 9, 1934 2,075,482Thorpe Mar. 30, 1937 2,160,596 LeBleu May 30, 1939 2,205,588 Arndt June25, 1940 2,224,725 Felt Dec. 10, 1940 2,348,796 Ferwerda et al May 16,1944 2,429,506 Austin Oct. 21, 1947 2,611,196 Barrett et al Sept. 23,1952

